Tirupati Madras Cafe

Tirupati Madras Cafe is a budget South Indian restaurant at Kotecha Chowk on Nirmala Convent Road in Rajkot (postcode 360007), Gujarat, India. The name evokes the old Madras-style tiffin rooms of South India, and the menu follows that tradition with dosa, idli and vada. It operates all day and is aimed at quick, inexpensive meals, which makes it popular with students, office workers and families in the Kotecha Chowk area of western Rajkot.

Masala dosa is the listed specialty: a large, crisp crepe made from fermented rice and urad dal batter, folded around spiced potato and served with sambar and coconut chutney. Idli sambar, soft steamed rice cakes dunked in a lentil and vegetable stew, is the lighter alternative, and medu vada, a ring-shaped fried lentil doughnut with a crunchy shell and soft interior, is the traditional snack side. These dishes are vegetarian and suit visitors who want a light meal after heavier Gujarati thalis.

The cafe is simple and unpretentious, with fast service, a moderate to high noise level at peak times and no dress code. The clientele is mostly local. Gujarat is a dry state, so drinks are filter coffee, tea, lassi and soft drinks.

Prices are among the lowest in the city, about INR 200-400 for two (USD 2-4). The cafe takes walk-ins and no booking is needed, although weekend evenings are busy. A phone number, +91 99982 26725, is listed. Because it is open all day, mid-morning and mid-afternoon visits tend to be the least crowded, and breakfast is a natural fit for a dosa or idli plate.